Apparatus for widening rolled metal products



Julyl4, 19.31. H. M. GERSMAN 1,814,

APPARATUS FOR WIDENING ROLLED METAL FRODUCTS Filed June 21, 26 j 3 Sheets-Shee t 1.

i A? g INVENTOR ATTORNEY N a I July 14, 1931.- 3 H. M GERSMAN 1,814,594

of Figure l atentecl July 14, 193i HARVEY M. GERSMAN, or BUFFALO, new YORK APPARATUS FOR 'WIDENING acLLnnivrn'rAL rnonuc'rs Application filed June 21, 1926. Serial No. 117,327.-

particularly to an apparatus for practicing the process which forms the subject of my 00- pending application Ser. No. 117,326, and

which is applicable to the widening of articles of various kinds such as strips, plates or load bearing members of different forms. The object of the invention is to provide apparatus which may be employed in connection with a mill by which the blank is rolled to the form desired whereby the blank on its emergence from the mill may be passed directly and continuously through the elements of the apparatus and by them acted on under the heat remaining in the blank on its delivery from the mill.

The process involves the transverse deformation of the blank in such a manner as to stretch it and reduce its thickness without altering its length and the subsequent straightening of the blank and its resultant lateral extension to the full width which conforms to the extent of stretch. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus by which the above steps are performed with the greatest etficiency and a product of uniform thickness and excellent physical qualities is produced. The apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 1 showing the first stretching rolls;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1 showing the first flattening rolls;

Figure 4: is a sectional view on the line l l of Figure 1 showing the first flatteningrolls and the blank as it emerges from the mill;

Figure 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Figure 1 showing the second stretching rolls Figure 6 is a sectional View on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 showing the second flattening rolls;

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the blank with which the process starts;

Figure 8 is a cross-section of the'finished Lbeam; p I r Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional View sides of the blank.

of a form of the apparatus employed for widening metal strips A Figure'lO is a cross-sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figure 9 showing the stretching rolls. 0

Referring to Figures 1 to 8:

' Figure 7 shows a blank A of I-cross-section which has been brought to the form desired by existing rolling methods involving the longitudinal extrusion of the metal. The blank comes from the rolling mill (not shown) at a temperature of about ll00 F. and'starting at or substantially at this temperature is thereupon treated to obtain the desired increase of the width and proportionate reduction of the thickness of the web. The first step, generally stated, is to deform the cross-section of the web in such a manner as to stretch it transversely without altering the spacing and dimensions of the flanges while so controlling the deformation and transverse stretching of the web that the re duction in' thickness is uniform at all points. According to the invention this is accomplished by opposed'rolls 1 and 2 between which the web is passed and which hold the blank at its sides and operate to stretch the web between adjacent points in a tortuous or sinuousline which cuts the original plane of the web. In the present example the blank has flanges B along its sides and the function of holding the blank at its sides is served by forming the rolls 1 and 2 to bear at their ends against said flanges thereby to prevent any alteration in the mutual spacing of the flanges. The rolls serve their stretching function by virtue of peripheral ribs 8, those of one roll being staggered relatively to those of the other roll. These ribs extend through the original plane of the web and hence displace beyond said plane the'web parts which they engage. Since the ribs of the two rolls lie alternately at opposite sides of the original plane of the web a line .made up of straight components drawn between their 95 highest points will have a tortuous or sinuous outline and will, of course, be of greater length than a straight line drawn between the Since the stretching rolls cause the web to conform in cross-seo- &

tion to the said tortuous or sinuous line or pa h the web is stretched throughout its transverse extent and is thereby widened to the full extent of the tortuous line, the stretching being by components conforming to the straight line components of the said tortuous path. v A

In order that the web may be stretched uniformly, as well over the ribs as between them, the rolls 1 and 2 are formed to provide clearances 4; between the ribs. The ribs of each roll project into the clearances of the opposed roll and said clearances are of such width and depth as to avoid contact throughout their extent with the web. Thus no resistance is opposed to the stretching of the parts of the web which are engaged by the ribs and no squeezing action is exerted upon the web at any point. Hence the reduction of the thickness of the web is limited entirely by the stretching operation and no elongation of the web is effected. In order to avoid any liability of cutting or scoring the web and also to provide adequate bearing surfaces and easy bending moments the ribs 3 have their engaging surfaces roundedthrough approxiinatelya half circle of suitable extent whereby the parts of the web in contact with the ribs may readily move or shift incident to the stretching and maybe stretched with substantially the same facility and to the same degree as the .parts which'extend between the ribs.

In order that the web mav be passed through the Operating rolls it is necessary that the angleof the ribs at the roll pass be suitably restri-ced and be comparatively narrow. This angle should be limited substantially to thirty degrees. \Vith a greater angle it would be difficnlt to force the web through the stretching rolls, at least Without injury to the web, and with deeper web corrugations conforming to such greater angle it would be difficult to force the web threugh the flattening rolls to be later described. It

follows that the corrugations formed in the web incident to its stretching are comparatively shad-low. The total stretch W'1ll,"0f

course be ro ortionate to the number and depth ofthe-corrugations and the number of ribs on the stretching rollsis determined with reference to the dimension of the blank and to the total stretch to he-eiiected in one roll pass, it being easily practical byth-e employment of a suitable number of ribs to inc-rel :e 'theextent of the web by onethi'rd or more an one roll pass. In Figure 2 the roll 2 is shown with four ribs '3 and the roll 1 is shown with three intermediate ribs 3 and with end ribs 3a of less depth which bear against the flanges of the blank'and also cooperate with the end ribs 3 of the roll 2 in stretchingthe portions of the blank adjacent the flanges. The number bf ribs may, of'course, be varied as circumstances may require and a greater number than that shown may so desired.

After the above described stretching operation the web is acted on to flatten out the corrugations formed by the stretching rolls and thereby to extend it tra be employed if th full extent whereby the web upon its e... rgence from the flattening rolls is ready either for a progressive repetition of the e ing operaticn 01 for treatment by cylindrical ishing rolls by which the corrue completely widened and given a rolled finishing.

The lower roll. 6 supports the web during 3e widening opei ion and its cross-sea tional ccntour determines the cross-sectional contour of the widened web and is such as to pciniit the various parts of the web readily to shift in connection with the flattening of the corrugations. The upper roll 5 applies theprcss ire to the web in such a way as to bend downward the parts of the corrugations which extend outwardly upward and to shift outward and also ben'd downward the parts of the corrugations which extend outwardly downward. With the ribs 3 of the stretching rolls 1 and 2 arranged as shown in the drawings the corrugation at the center of the stretched web has its sides extending outwardly upward and to support this corrugation roll 6 is provided with a. central groove 7 of shallow V outline. groove '7 the lower roll 6 is provided with similar grooves 8 which cooperate with the remaining corrugations. The upper roll 5 formed with a low central ridge which alines with the valley of thecentral corrugation of the web and is provided. by inclined faces 9. These are of greater transverse extent than the sides of the groove 7 to which they are opposed and terminate in ina ti've shoulders Beyond the I 11 similar to the faces 9.

The widening of the web is commenced as soon as its corrugations engage the several in'cli'n'ed faces 7, 8, 9, and 11, this occurring at a point in advance of the center of the roll pass, and is completed when the center of the roll pass is reached. During the travel from the point of initial engagement by said inclined surfaces to the center of the roll pass the components of the corrugations are free to shift laterally under thepressure of the cooperating rolls, the flattening and redistribution of the corrugations taking place outward from the longitudinal center e'f'the web which at all times during the operation coincides with the center of the groove 7. In detail the action of the flattening rolls is that the inclined surfaces 9 bend downward from the center of the web the portions which over hang the sides of the groove 7 and shift laterally outward the portions which overhang the inner sides of the groove 8 and at the same time bend these same portions downward while the inclined surfaces 11 perform similar operations with the parts which they engage, the flanges B of the blank being without any lateral obstructions and hence being free to move laterally outward in connection with the flattening operation. In addition to the foregoing characteristics of operation the apices of the corrugations are moved inward toward the original plane of the web, that is to say,.the upper apices are pushed downward and the lower apices are pushed upward. Thev extension of the inclined surfaces 9 beyond the inclined sides of the groove 7 is for the purpose of providing clearances 12 above the portions of the web which are shifted laterally between the rolls so that there can be no obstruction to their lateral displacement. The initial engagement of thestretched web by the flattening rolls is shown in Figure 3 while the completion of the operation as effected by said rolls is shown in Figure 4; and it will be observed that at the center of the roll pass, as shown in Figure 4, the web conforms in crosssection to the cross-sectional contour of ths supporting roll 6 and uniformly rests upon the same, having, however, free unsup ported portions projecting beyond the ends of the rolls and carrying the flanges. It will also be noted that a mean plane taken through the extremely shallow redistributed corrugations resulting from the operation of the flattening rolls coincides or substantially coincides with the normal plane of the straight web of the blank with which the operation started.

If the determined widening of the web may not be practically completed in a single roll pass a progressive stretching and complemental widening operation may be performed. These operations are shown in the drawings. Thus the web on emergence from the flattening and widening rolls 5 and 6 may be passed through a second pair of stretch ing rolls 7 and 8. These are shown in detail in Figure 5 and conform exactly in structure and mode of operation to the rolls 1 and 2 so that no description thereof will be required beyond the statement that they further stretch in the manner described the widened and nearly completely flattened web delivered by the rolls 5 and 6. From the stretching rolls 7 and 8 the web passes to a sejoud pair of flattening rolls 9 and 10, shown in Figure 6, which are generally similar in construction and mode of operation to the rolls 5 and 6 and require no description beyond the statement that they act in the manner above des'cribed'to widen and nearly completely flatten the stretched Web delivered by the rolls 7 and 8. At the completion of the operation of the second flattening rolls 9 and 10 the web may be passed through cylindrical finishing rolls (not shown) by which all cross-sectional irregularities are eliminated and it is completely flattened as indicated by Figure 8.

"Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the application of the method to the widening of metal strips. These are delivered by the strip mill and are passed through stretching and flattening rolls which operate similarly to those described. Two stages of stretching and flattening are shown, the first stage being carried out by the stretching rolls la and 2a and the flattening rolls 5a and 6a and the second stage being carried out by the stretching rolls 7 a and 8a and the flattening rolls 9a and 10a. The only difference in the equipment is in the form of the stretching rolls. When operating on the Web of an I-beam the stretching rolls could react against the flanges in order to hold the blank at its sides. In the caseof metal strip, however, no flanges are available and hence the stretching rolls are formed at their ends to cooperate in holding the sides of the strip. With this exception the stretching rolls are similar to those described. Figure 10 may be taken as applicable to the stretching rolls of either pair and shows the variation mentioned. 9 Thus the upper roll has at its ends ribs 3?) similar to the intermediate ribs 3 and the lower roll has at its ends ribs 30 which are of restricted dis ameter and lie partially under and partially beyond the ribs 3?) so as to cooperate with the same. in gripping the sides of the strip and in directing the marginal portions outward in directions reverse to those of the adjacent stretchedparts, such gripping of the marginal portions and alteration of their transverse direction preventing any displacement thereof either inward or outward and hence insuring that the distance between the sides the ribs-of one roll projecting into the clearances of the other and the clearances being formed to avoid squeezing of the metal of the part which is passed between the rolls, the

ribs and clearances of the respective rolls being cooperative to stretch and reduce the thickness of said web.

2.. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products, means for increasing the cross sectional extent of a continuous web of metal comprising opposed cooperating stretching rolls having staggered ribs and clearances, the ribs atthe roll pass having a mutualangle not substantially exceeding thirty degrees and the ribs of one roll projecting into the clearances of the other, the clearances being formed to avoid squeezing of the metal of the part which is passed between the rolls, the ribs and clearances-of the respective rolls being cooperative to stretch and reduce the thickness of said web.

3. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products opposed cooperating stretching rolls having staggered ribs for stretching the part which is passed between them without increasing its length, said part when stretched being longitudinally corrugated, and opposed flattening rolls through which the stretched part. is passed, said flattening rolls being formed with inclined cooperating surfaces by which the apices of the corrugations are pressed back toward the original plane of said part and the components of the corrugations :are shifted laterally outward.

4. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products, means for soaltering the transverse section of'a part as to form longitudinal corrugations therein and transversely stretch the same without increasing its length and opposed flattening rolls through which the stretched part is passed, said flattening rolls being formed with inclined cooperating surfaces by which the apices of the corrugations are pressed back toward the original plane of said part and the components of the corrugations are shifted laterally outward.

5. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products, means for so altering the transverse section of the part as to form longitudinal corrugations therein and transversely stretch the same and opposed flattening rolls through which the stretched part is passed, the lower of said rolls serving as a support for said part and being formed with a series of oppositely inclined surfaces and the. upper roll having part as to hold said edge portions against inward displacement during the stretching operation of the ribs first named.

7. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products opposed cooperating stretching rolls having staggered ribs for stretching the part which is passed between them, and having between said ribs clearances for avoiding squeezing of said part, saidrrolls having at their ends other ribs which engage opposite sides of the edge portions of said part and turn said edge portions transversely at angles to the adjoining portion of said part, thereby to hold said edge portions against inward displacement.

8. In apparatus for widening rolled metal products-means for so altering the transverse section of a part without increasing its length as to form longitudinal corrugations therein and transversely stretch the same and opposed flattening rolls through which the stretched part is passed and by which the corrugations are pressed back toward the original plane of the part and certain of their components are at the same time shifted laterally outward with resultant widening of the part.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARVEY M. GERSMAN.

inclined surfaces which conform to certain of the inclined surfaces of the lower roll and having between 1ts inclined surfaces clearances which allne with the remaining lnclined surfaces of the lower roll, said inclined .sur-

perforate metal products opposed cooperat- I ing stretching rolls having staggered ribs 7 for stretching the part which is passed between them, and having between said ribs clearances for avoiding squeezing of said part, said rolls having at their ends other ribs which so engage vthe edge portions of the 

